Player Watch #9 Will Hayward

[Kennedy Parker]

Will Hayward
Spritely Sydney Swans forward Will Hayward

9

Will Hayward

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

enjoyed a rocketing start to his career as he became the 11th-youngest player in the AFL era to reach 50 career goals in 2018. The 2016 draftee’s nippy pace and cunning goal awareness have made him a dangerous option in coach John Longmire’s forward line. A broken jaw and a persistent hip injury limited Hayward to just 12 goals in 13 senior games in 2019, but the South Australian is attacking the 2020 campaign on the back of his first full pre-season. Don’t be surprised if the exciting Swan finds himself on a wing this year.

Will Hayward

9

Will Hayward

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

DOB: 26 October 1998
DEBUT: 2017
DRAFT: #21, 2016 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Walkerville (SA)/North Adelaide (SANFL)

Will Hayward | AFL

Follow Will Hayward's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Swansujelly]

Do we have anything to worry about?

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Do we have anything to worry about?

Ask Jordan Dawson

 

[MF]

Will is one of those players who shines in a team that's on top of its game which is why he's been considered as a bit of a barometer.

His main asset is his work rate between the arcs. When we're playing well his hard running back to the forward often gets rewarded with him outworking his opponent. When our forward transition breaks down it just doesn't happen for him.

I recognise he had a pretty poor season last year but I really think he's always been underrated and under appreciated. He's very similar to Reid in that he can compete really well in the air but also follow up well at ground level (which is why they're both used in a similar role).

To be an outlet target from defence you have to be able to butter up at ground level if you don't win the arial contest which Will excels at. He provides great defensive pressure for a marking player and also has the aerobic capacity to run all game and the work ethic to make the most of it. I reckon he'd be a player the coaches absolutely love.

If the team performs well this year I'll think he's every chance to have his best season yet.

 

[BloodySwan]

If, as reported, we're interested in Zurhaar, does that mean we're worried that Hayward is a chance to leave? Cornes (I know, he's a dick) did say that he'd love to see Will play midfield, acknowledged that won't happen with us, and that he'd have to leave foe this to happen. Plus he's been plugging him big time lately. Port Adelaide sniffing around me thinks?

We've said in the past we target talent and worry less about how they fit into the list. If we are after Zuurhar I don't think it has any affect on what we're doing with Hayward. The two of them can very easily play in the same 22

 

[tombomb]

Even this becomes a Will Hayward

9

Will Hayward

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

bashing thread. Fck me .

Like 24/25yo medium forwards with 150 games and average over a goal a game, are easy to come by. All while usually playing a defensive role on one of the opposition's best attacking defenders

I am almost at a point where I hope Will does go to another team and a group of supporters who understand how valuable he is. But then I realise that would make us a weaker team, so probably wouldn't be that great.

 

[caesar88]

Even this becomes a Will Hayward bashing thread. Fck me .

Like 24/25yo medium forwards with 150 games and average over a goal a game, are easy to come by. All while usually playing a defensive role on one of the opposition's best attacking defenders

I am almost at a point where I hope Will does go to another team and a group of supporters who understand how valuable he is. But then I realise that would make us a weaker team, so probably wouldn't be that great.

Even if your description of Hayward is true he's rarely been more than a bottom six player for us. There's nothing wrong with that, and that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the 22 each week, or that he's not still a contributor in his own way and role, but it's not someone we should be bending over backwards to keep. He shouldn't be a priority signing for us when we have Gulden, Rowbottom & Florent (all better players) and McDonald (more important) all out of contract.

If we can sign all of them and still retain Hayward, that's the best result possible. Unlike some who I think just get a kick out of not rating Hayward, I don't want to lose a mature player in his prime from the list, even if they do my head in. Especially now that we're moving out of the youth phase and into being long-term contenders (if all goes well...)

 

[tombomb]

Even if your description of Hayward is true he's rarely been more than a bottom six player for us. There's nothing wrong with that, and that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the 22 each week, or that he's not still a contributor in his own way and role, but it's not someone we should be bending over backwards to keep. He shouldn't be a priority signing for us when we have Gulden, Rowbottom & Florent (all better players) and McDonald (more important) all out of contract.

If we can sign all of them and still retain Hayward, that's the best result possible. Unlike some who I think just get a kick out of not rating Hayward, I don't want to lose a mature player in his prime from the list, even if they do my head in. Especially now that we're moving out of the youth phase and into being long-term contenders (if all goes well...)

There is a big difference though between... if we had to lose one it would probably be Hayward ... and I'll happily drive Hayward to the airport, which is how some talk about him on here.

Personally I think Hayward's output and style of play would be harder than all but Gulden to replace.

 

[caesar88]

There is a big difference though between... if we had to lose one it would probably be Hayward ... and I'll happily drive Hayward to the airport, which is how some talk about him on here.

Personally I think Hayward's output and style of play would be harder than all but Gulden to replace.

Agree that some go overboard, couldn't disagree more with your last sentence though lol

 

[tombomb]

Agree that some go overboard, couldn't disagree more with your last sentence though lol

I don't have a huge opinion on who is better out of Rowbottom, Florent, and Hayward, but I do know that small/medium forwards that average over a goal a game are a lot harder to find than pretty good inside mids and half back flankers.

 

[caesar88]

I don't have a huge opinion on who is better out of Rowbottom, Florent, Hayward, but I do know that small/medium forwards that average over a goal a game are a lot harder to find than pretty good inside mids and half back flankers.

I'd say harder to find are quality players. You need them in all positions and quite a few of them. With all due respect I don't really know if there's a conversation to be had if you think Hayward's quality is in any way comparable with Florent and especially Rowbottom, so we may have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[tombomb]

I'd say harder to find are quality players. You need them in all positions and quite a few of them. With all due respect I don't really know if there's a conversation to be had if you think Hayward's quality is in any way comparable with Florent and especially Rowbottom, so we may have to agree to disagree on this one.

I think you are dramatically overrating Rowbottom and Florent if you think they are significantly better players than Hayward.

 

[caesar88]

I think you are dramatically overrating Rowbottom and Florent if you think they are significantly better players than Hayward.

In my opinion they are. You're entitled to yours

 

[DeathlyAccurate]

Gotta say that’s a gross exaggeration. Sure, it’s just an opinion, as are most of the posts on this forum, but at 25 with 160 goals in 140 games on a team that isn’t bursting with a goal a game forwards, I can’t agree that Florent or Rowbottom are substantially more important to us than Hayward.

In many ways they are far more replaceable than Hayward but he’s just a player who many don’t appreciate unless he was to leave and then they’d realise what he offers.


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[zyzzbruh]

I would be devastated if Hayward left. His role is crucial, if he goes then someone needs to replace it, and there aren't many players in the league with those attributes. He's a massive asset. He's the bloke that strings the teams together when we're playing well. He only cops flack when we are not playing well because he struggles to get into the game. But that's not the point of him. A good team that's contending needs that kind of player to aid domination, linking with other forwards, and adding scoreboard pressure. If Hayward is not playing well it's because the team is not playing well, and if the team is not playing well we're not contending anyway. It was very similar as the Rohan situation. If you don't have that bloke, games we're dominating the middle will struggle to result in scoreboard pressure and you end up scratching your head as to why such a good team is just scraping through and struggling to win games they should be, aka Melbourne.

Imo, with the increase in salary cap, we need to not worry about other players or marquee signings. All out of contract players should be easily signed and call it a day. I don't get the Zurhaar interest either, he doesn't really stand out, and we're debating who undeservedly needs to go out once injured players are fit as it is.

 

[caesar88]

Gotta say that’s a gross exaggeration. Sure, it’s just an opinion, as are most of the posts on this forum, but at 25 with 160 goals in 140 games on a team that isn’t bursting with a goal a game forwards, I can’t agree that Florent or Rowbottom are substantially more important to us than Hayward.

In many ways they are far more replaceable than Hayward but he’s just a player who many don’t appreciate unless he was to leave and then they’d realise what he offers.


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I don't think it's an exaggeration at all. It's just an opinion.

In 140 games Hayward has never finished top 10 in the B&F. Florent's finished top 10 in the B&F four times. They just aren't comparable at all to me.

And I'll just add that I saw a poll on Instagram a while back that asked who Swans fans would be most okay with losing out of the three in question and the responses were overwhelmingly ugly for Hayward (and to a lesser extent Florent.) So to say it's an exaggeration is a bit of a stretch considering it's obviously quite a common view.

 

[Dubsforsam1]

I'd say harder to find are quality players. You need them in all positions and quite a few of them. With all due respect I don't really know if there's a conversation to be had if you think Hayward's quality is in any way comparable with Florent and especially Rowbottom, so we may have to agree to disagree on this one.

Hayward has been our 3rd/4th highest goal scorer in each of the last three years while likely being the 4th/5th option at best and playing a defensive type role. That's not easy production to replace

 

[caesar88]

Hayward has been our 3rd/4th highest goal scorer in each of the last three years while likely being the 4th/5th option at best and playing a defensive type role. That's not easy production to replace

I wasn't questioning his output. But I think despite his output, he's a bottom six player for us and I don't really think that's such a controversial view. It's less a knock on him and more a compliment to the stacked team I believe we have and the players who are better, more important and who do more.

I don't think it stays stacked if you prioritise your bottom six over top 10 players just because they're more unique.

Just to reiterate - I don't want to lose Hayward either.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Will is one of those players who shines in a team that's on top of its game which is why he's been considered as a bit of a barometer.

His main asset is his work rate between the arcs. When we're playing well his hard running back to the forward often gets rewarded with him outworking his opponent. When our forward transition breaks down it just doesn't happen for him.

I recognise he had a pretty poor season last year but I really think he's always been underrated and under appreciated. He's very similar to Reid in that he can compete really well in the air but also follow up well at ground level (which is why they're both used in a similar role).

To be an outlet target from defence you have to be able to butter up at ground level if you don't win the arial contest which Will excels at. He provides great defensive pressure for a marking player and also has the aerobic capacity to run all game and the work ethic to make the most of it. I reckon he'd be a player the coaches absolutely love.

If the team performs well this year I'll think he's every chance to have his best season yet.

Lol. I have never heard a coach claim a footballer was inaccurate (aka bottling it) because they had worked so hard.

Longmire really went out on a limb.

Have seen Wayward shank the ball early in the game and after breaks.

where is the data showing he runs more clicks than other players? And the data proving he has worked himself closer to exhaustion than other players who calmlyslot goals.

If this is what Hill W has told the coach, it is up there with Reid saying I'm good to go in the GF.

Sometimes I really feel sorry for JL.

 

[tombomb]

Lol. I have never heard a coach claim a footballer was inaccurate (aka bottling it) because they had worked so hard.

Longmire really went out on a limb.

Have seen Wayward shank the ball early in the game and after breaks.

where is the data showing he runs more clicks than other players? And the data proving he has worked himself closer to exhaustion than other players who calmlyslot goals.

If this is what Hill W has told the coach, it is up there with Reid saying I'm good to go in the GF.

Sometimes I really feel sorry for JL.

I don't think it is that wild to suggest fatigue impacts goalkicking accuracy.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I don't think it is that wild to suggest fatigue impacts goalkicking accuracy.

No question... Maybe to put kindly, some are affected by fatigue more than others.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

I've always been a big fan of Haywards. Last year was his poorest year in terms of delivering on expectation, but in saying that, I think he was impacted by the instability of the team during the year, e.g. injuries to key position players, the midfield not performing well etc.

In 2022 he really matured as a player, was pretty much kicking at least 1 goal every game and was very consistent. His perceived lack of form in 2023 resulted more from the team's inconsistency rather than poor form on his part.

He responded well when he was dropped from the side (I think in 2021), came back, and became a valuable contributor. That to me showed maturity.

He also kicked a goal against the tide in the 2022 GF, so despite getting the yips every now and again, I still have faith in his ability to hit the scoreboard consistently.

He also does a lot of important work between the arcs as others have mentioned.

I think he'll get back on track in 2024. He's really matured as a player and I think he'll take a bit of a leap this year, perform consistently and have a couple of big games during the season. Will be one of the key beneficiaries of stronger midfield performances this year (provided the midfield deliver as expected).

I'm looking forward to what's to come from Hayward.

 

[Dan87]

He's so much better than guys like Wicks and Fox objectively, guys who are adored, but he gets treated with disdain.

Group psychology and tribalism is a hell of a drug

 

[zyzzbruh]

He's so much better than guys like Wicks and Fox objectively, guys who are adored, but he gets treated with disdain.

Group psychology and tribalism is a hell of a drug

I think it's more a lack of football knowledge from basic fans of the game. They conclude after seeing behinds, a stat sheet that doesn't have 20+ possessions, and only look at the player with the ball finishing off the work rather than noticing the extremely important small acts that occur off the ball (pressure, positioning, bringing ball to ground, blocking etc) leading up to a score.

 

[Dan87]

I think it's more a lack of football knowledge from basic fans of the game. They conclude after seeing behinds, a stat sheet that doesn't have 20+ possessions, and only look at the player with the ball finishing off the work rather than noticing the extremely important small acts that occur off the ball (pressure, positioning, bringing ball to ground, blocking etc) leading up to a score.

McLean = blue collar hero

Reid = failure of a career

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I think it's more a lack of football knowledge from basic fans of the game. They conclude after seeing behinds, a stat sheet that doesn't have 20+ possessions, and only look at the player with the ball finishing off the work rather than noticing the extremely important small acts that occur off the ball (pressure, positioning, bringing ball to ground, blocking etc) leading up to a score.

Oh dear.